A combination of injuries and overall subpar skating ability sabotaged Mark Stone's standing as an upper-tier prospect heading into the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Nearly a decade later, it is clear the Ottawa Senators received a steal selecting Stone in the sixth round, 178th overall that year.

Stone rebounded from a concussion and a thumb injury with the Brandon Wheat Kings in his draft year, then went to work on improving his skating. Now, no player selected beyond the first round of the 2010 NHL Draft class has more career points (249) than Stone.

“He reached out to us after being drafted. Randy (Lee, current assistant general manager, then Senators director of hockey operations and player development) and I spoke about what was the best approach for Mark,” explained former long-time team skating consultant Marc Power. “We developed a plan. Mark helped with that plan. He sent me videos from the Wheat Kings. I would analyze them, send him information back. He would start doing the work.”

Crediting Stone’s willingness to study and practice skating technique in making him the player he is today, Power told the Sporting News, “When you work with a player, it’s a two-way street. This is an athlete who wanted to make it. One hundred per cent of the credit goes to Mark Stone. He wanted to become a better skater so he could do what does naturally. He’s a great shooter. Has an amazing stick. His Hockey IQ is off the charts. His biggest road block was, could he skate well enough to play in the NHL?”

Watching the Winnipeg native skate today, it’s plain to see Stone was a Grade A student.

“We did a lot of off-ice skating simulations to get his body more efficient. He worked on his one-foot stability, teaching him where the power comes from underneath his body,” Power added. “Basically for Mark, we had to get his posture in line a little bit, making him fit in his hockey stance better, getting more pressure on his skate blades. Teaching him how to glide. Also making his arms and legs move in sync. We taught him explosive starts. Tweaks like that allowed Mark to get up and down the ice more efficiently. But it was repetition on skating strides and long strides.

“For example, if you watch him now, he’s always facing the puck. He’s so in tune with what’s going on, so aware of the game. That really helped him, but he wanted to do it. We showed him what to do and he went out did it.”

Cory Clouston had an up close look at Stone's early evolution.

As head coach of the Senators, Clouston first viewed Stone in what was the youngster’s first professional training camp. A season later, the six-foot-three, 219-pounder was named captain by Clouston after the coach moved on to head the Wheat Kings.

Stone had a breakout campaign under Clouston, finishing second in WHL scoring with 123 points (41 goals, 82 assists), while helping Canada capture a bronze medal at the 2012 World Junior Championship.

“Mark was a tremendous competitor. He was our best player and I used him in all situations, including the penalty kill. He read the play so well. His skating was his weakness,” Clouston told the Sporting News. “It wasn’t so much his speed, but he needed to work on his technique, strength of stride and agility. I knew with his work ethic that he’d be able keep improving his skating. I’m not surprised at the player he’s become at the NHL level. With his hockey sense and ability to read the play and compete level, I knew it’d be only a matter of a matter time.”

Turning 26 on Mother’s Day, the time is now for Senators alternate captain. Despite playing only 58 games this past season, missing the final 15 due to a high ankle sprain, the soon-to-be restricted free agent is looking to cash in after leading the team with 62 points, while producing a career-best 42 assists.

Stone’s improved skating and heady play has also turned him into a solid two-way forward. Stone finished sixth in Selke Trophy balloting in 2016-17, and over the past three seasons the right wing has 53 more takeaways than the next closest player, Hurricanes forward Jeff Skinner – leading the league in this category twice.

Now it's time for the Sens to pay up on their successful late-round pick from 2010.